'Inhumane Act': Mamata Banerjee After Nephew Abhishek's Wife Stopped At Airport

Rujira Banerjee, the wife of senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, was stopped from boarding a UAE-bound flight on Monday, citing a 'lookout' notice by the ED.

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday slammed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after her nephew and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee's wife Rujira was stopped from boarding a UAE-bound flight. Speaking to reporters, Mamata described it as nothing but an 'inhumane' act.

"Rujira Banerjee's mother is unwell and her health is deteriorating... She was going abroad to meet her ailing mother. The Supreme Court has not imposed any restrictions on her foreign tours. The apex court only asked her to inform the ED once before going out of the country and she had informed the ED well in advance about her scheduled tour," Mamata Banerjee said.

The TMC supremo added that the ED could have denied her permission at that point in time but instead, she was stopped from boarding the flight on Monday morning.

"Handing her the summon at the airport and asking her to come back on June 8 is nothing but an inhumane act," the West Bengal CM added.

She said the Centre is not 'ashamed' over the rising deaths in the June 2 Odisha trip train accident. Instead of helping the people, they are trying to divert attention from the entire incident, she said.

Rujira reportedly reached Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata with her two children around 7 am on Monday and was stopped before immigration.

Last year, the ED questioned her in connection with the coal pilferage case. The CBI had also questioned her in 2021 in the same case.

Dare ED to arrest me or my wife: Abhishek Banerjee

Abhishek Banerjee on Monday said the 'harassment' of his family was aimed at stopping his outreach campaign ahead of the panchayat elections in West Bengal. Addressing a press conference in Singur in Hooghly district, he also dared the ED to arrest him or his wife.

"I will not bow my head before anyone apart from the masses. The ED has summoned my wife, as they (BJP) want this outreach campaign to stop. The BJP is afraid of the public support for the campaign, and that is why they are harassing my family," he claimed.

Abhishek also claimed that the ED's action of stopping his wife from flying abroad violated a Supreme Court order, which stated that there were no foreign travel restrictions on the couple.

"I dare the ED to arrest me or my wife if they have any proof of corruption. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP can't fight us politically, so they are harassing us. If they want, they can also arrest my kids," he added.

The TMC MP stated that he would move to court against the 'violation' of the SC order.